Breaking the rules
by HeichouInRed
Summary: Stepha, not Stephanie, was a muggle born Slytherin, the first of her kind, and Hogwarts was in turmoil. As was the second Potter child, who really wished he could talk to his Grandfather about a prickly red head. But Stepha can do something that others can't. She is the last piece on the board that could save or burn the wizarding world.
1. Chapter 1

summary

Stepha, not Stephanie, was a muggle born Slytherin, the first of her kind, and Hogwarts was in turmoil. As was the second Potter child, who really wished he could talk to his Grandpa about a prickly red head.

Disclaimer for the whole fic ('cause I'm lazy): I am not a god of writing, nor am I a super rich, mega writer, if I was I would be in my country home eating truffles. To cut a long story short: I do not own the Potter 'verse, J.K. Rowling does, and that is all there is to it.

Chapter 1

Stepha awoke to a soft tapping on her bedroom door. She jerked up robotically and stumbled out of bed.

"Stepha, get up."

"Ummble thulder." She mumbled, followed by a thump and a loud shriek.

"Stepha?" Jacob said.

"I'm fine", came the slightly too high-pitched answer.

Jacob sighed, "did you trip over your trunk again?" he tried to keep the laughter out of his voice. Pause.

"No...Stop laughing."

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are, I can _tell_."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I am not laughing."

"Are."

"Not."

"Ar-"

"_SHUT UP_!" Lisa shouted, poking her head out of her room.

"MUM, Lisa shouted at us!" Jacob whined childishly.

"Stop behaving like eight year-olds and wake your sister!"

Stepha could hear them turning back towards her bedroom, "Stepha, get up!" Jacob repeated, as she threw the door open.

What?" Stepha was not a morning person. Her siblings glanced at each other with matching grins.

"Why, Lisa, I do believe that our little sister has forgotten."

"Why, Jacob, I do believe that you are right."

They took up their places on either side of her door frame and smiled down at her.

"Don't do that, you guys know I hate being the shortest." They grinned even more.

"Stepha, darling," Jacob started, "what date is it?"

They burst into laughter as her hazel eyes grew huge and she slammed her door and squealed in delight.

"Has she remembered yet?" Their mother called.

"I think she just twigged." Jacob said, leading the way down stairs.

_XXX_

Stepha stared at her trunk, she had checked and double checked that everything she needed was in there, but she still felt like something was missing.

"Ok, robes, check. Cauldron, check. Glass phials, telescope, scales, check, check and check." She turned to her pile of books and ticked off the eight school books on her list and all of her own volumes.

"Arrgggh, what have I forgotten?" Artemis stared at her.

"Oh, bugger off you bloody cat." She grumbled.

Artemis gave Stepha what she called her 'diva look' and then strutted under the bed and yowled.

"What do you want now?" Stepha sighed and leaned over the side of her mattress, silver eyes glowed in the gloom as Artemis huffed and lay down, using a long, thin box as a pillow.

"Wand!" Stepha said triumphantly, she pulled the box out from under Artemis, who huffed again. Her wand was made from beech wood, with a dragon scale and phoenix feather core.She carefully placed the it on her case.

"STEPHA, PANCAKES." Jacob yelled from the kitchen.

"COMING." She turned to the mirror and looked at her self. She had big hazel eyes , high cheekbones and dark red hair that tumbled a bit past her shoulders, she twirled an end of one of the errant curls that always stuck out in odd places and smoothed out the green top she was wearing. Stepha turned and carefully imprinted her bed room into her memory, the sky blue celling and carpet, every spare centimetre of wall covered in overladen bookcases, the lines on the door frame marking how tall she had become, the comfortable window seat where she liked to watch the birds that lived in the old birch tree, all of it was so precious to her and now she would leave it, cold and empty for months to come.

She opened her hand and watched a little fire burst to life on her palm.

"Oh, brave new world, that has such people in it." she sighed and extinguished the flame, "Time for us to face it," she said, scooping up Artemis.

_XXX_

Albus Severus Potter felt awful, mainly because of his sisters cat on his face, but there were other, albeit less pressing, issues. These issues were, just to name a few: James, what house he would be in, James, would he like his house mates, James, would he miss home to much and of course the ever annoying James. Snuggles, the cat, shuffled a bit and Albus felt his claws prickle against his jaw.

"Get off, you monster." He grabbed the feline and attempted to extract the creatures claws from his face. He swung his legs out of bed and, holding the hissing animal at arms length, proceeded down stairs.

"Lily, take this demon spawn away from me." He waved Snuggles in the air for emphasis.

"Albus! Leave him alone, he's only a little cat." Lily said, taking the cat, who purred in her arms.

"Oh you'll behave for Lily wont you." He said glaring at it, "why don't you sleep on her face instead, bloody cat."

"Albus, language." Ginny told him, sitting down at the table as James lumbered in.

"Hey, it's the family's first Slytherin." He said delightedly ruffling Albus's hair.

"James." Ginny glared at her eldest son.

"Sorry Mum." James said shamefacedly.

There was a thump in the hallway and some mild cursing as the last of the Potter household entered the dinning room.

"...God damned cases. Why do we put them there?" Harry grumbled as he limped to his chair. He looked at his youngest son, "Albus, you look tired, are you Ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Lily's cat just decided to sleep _on my face._" James burst out laughing and Lily started apologising and telling Snuggles off.

"I'm fine Lily, don't worry about it-James shut up, it's not that funny!"

"Oh, no, it's even more funny than this I just don't want to upset you." James said grinning.

"I hate you." Albus said childishly and stuck his tongue out at his brother.

"Hey Al, think fast." James said and flicked some beans at him.

"You-" Al threw some toast back.

"This is war! James yelled, preparing some scrambled eggs for firing.

"STOP!" Ginny yelled, and even Harry shrank back from her anger. "You will tidy that up right now and then get ready to go to the station. You are eleven and twelve, not three and four." there were mumbled '_sorry mum_'s' and the boys finished their breakfasts and shuffled off to clean up.

"We're leaving in an hour so get ready quickly." Harry called after them.

_XXX_

Stepha stared about her. Smoke hung in the air and made the bustling shapes around them blurry, teenagers chattered and gossiped and bid their parents farewell, they were clustered together in the overwhelming crowd of people, and in the centre of all the hubbub was the scarlet train, the Hogwarts Express.

Jacob was jumping up and down and dragging her towards the train, itching to explore, the heat was making his light-brown hair stick to his forehead and his brown eyes sparkled as he watched the obvious use of magic, Lisa too, was whipping her head side to side, blond hair flying and grey eyes wide, trying to see everything. Their parents trailed behind, laughing at their children's curiosity and entranced themselves by the mysteries surrounding them. Stepha smiled slightly at the interested looks they were getting from some of the wizards, some of which had never come into contact with muggles. Her parents waited outside the train whilst Lisa and Jacob helped her lug her trunk and Artemis' cage into a empty compartment.

"We should get back to mum and dad." Lisa said once they had found one.

They returned to their parents and Stepha was crushed into the centre of a family hug. Her mother and father smiled down at her and kissed her, and Lisa told her not to let anyone push her around and Jacob grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.

"You will write, wont you?" his voice trembled slightly and Stepha squeezed him tightly.

"'Course I will." she promised into his jacket, "Weekly updates."

"Have fun squirt." he said and tousled her hair.

She grinned at her family and waved from the compartment window as the train began to pull away from the station.

_XXX_

Albus glanced into the compartment, there was only one person inside, a girl with red hair reading a book. He had been trying to keep away what he called 'publicity predators', people who only wanted to be friends with him because of his father, since he had gotten on the train. He could've sat with his family, but he wanted to know other people, not just his relations. He knocked on the door.

"Umm, do you mind if I sit here?" He said, gesturing to the seat across from her.

The girl smiled and tugged at a curl that was sticking out from behind her left ear.

"Sure. Would you like some help with your case?"

"Uh, no it's fine I can manage." he dropped his ferret's cage into a chair and heaved the trunk in side the compartment and tried to lift it on to the rack. The girl sighed.

"Move out the way," she said, Albus shuffled over to his seat as the girl stood and concentrated on his case and then he squeaked as it levitated up into the rack above their heads.

"Did you just squeak?" she said grinning at him.

"No, I just let out a noise of surprise," he said defensively, the girl raised her eye brows. "I've never seen someone our age able to do magic like that, ok. The only person I know who can do wandless magic is Aunt Mione."

"I've been able to control my magic since I was little," she said blushing, " apparently it's quite unusual for someone to do that before they get their wand. Umm, it's not that cool though, I just have to concentrate." She shuffled under his gaze and then sat back down.

"Thanks for moving my case by the way, I can hardly drag it across the floor."

"Guess I'll have to stick around then, to help you get it back down." she smiled at him.

"I guess so." he replied. "I'm Albus by the way."

"Stephanie, but call me Stepha or I will be forced to kill you." She laughed slightly at his confused expression and smiled when he grinned back at her.

"I thought I recognised you, your Harry Potter's son aren't you?"

"The curse of having a famous family, everyone at school who isn't a muggleborn will recognise me."

"Oh, I am a muggleborn. I just read about your family in _The_ _Prophet._"

"Well, now I just feel cheated," Albus said grinning.

"Sorry, though I do have unusual circumstances, I live next door to a wizard family, when I was younger I turned my brother green. My parents were freaking out quite a bit, so the family told my parents about the wizarding world and helped me control my magic. I learnt all about Hogwarts and magic ages before Professor Longbottom came to tell me." Stepha smiled awkwardly and played with her hair again.

"Who was the family?"

"The Lovegoods, I think they know your dad."

"Yeah Luna does, her and mum are really close. I thought they were the Zabinis though. We haven't seen Luna for a few years. Not since her husband died and she married Blaze. But she became a bit reclusive after Rolf Scamanda died."

"Yeah, I think the Scamanda twins go to Beauxbaton's in France and they have a half sister who is a year younger than us called Aurora, but she's coming to Hogwarts next year."

"Luna's my sister's godmother. We haven't seen her for ages though." They were interrupted by two people arguing in the corridor.

"...com'on Viola, it's not my fault-"

"_Not your fault, you SET HER HAIR ON FIRE!_"

"I'm really sorry."

"Oh shut up and find a compartment that wont run screaming as soon as they see us."

Their compartment door slid open and in the door way stood a gorgeous girl, she had dark brown, almost black, hair that curled and tumbled over her shoulders, a slight tan, high cheekbones and sky blue eyes. Behind her was a tall, awkward looking boy who looked incredibly similar to her as her but with messier hair.

"Hi," said the girl, "I'm sorry, but do you mind if we join you? I'm Viola Valverde and this is my idiot twin brother Yuri." The boy waved his hand, which still held his wand.

"Oh my God, put that wand _down,_" Viola said agitatedly.

"Sorry." Yuri blushed and stuck the wand in his pocket.

"Take a seat," Stepha said, "but please, I quite like my hair how it is." Yuri blushed again but smiled slightly and sat down.

"So what house do you think you'll be in?" Albus asked about half an hour later, he and Yuri had just finished playing a game of wizard's chess, which seemed to startle and excite the muggleborn twins.

"I dunno, any of them would be fine but maybe Ravenclaw or Slytherin." Stepha shrugged.

"What actually are these houses and why is everyone so fussed about them?" Yuri asked.

"Hogwarts is basically split into four houses," Albus explained, "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each one is named after a founder and each one has different expectations. Gryffindor is for the brave and chivalrous, Hufflepuff is for kind and hard-working people, Ravenclaw is for people who are witty and cleaver and Slytherins are all sly and cunning though, my brother says that all dark wizards come from Slytherin."

"That is stupid," Stepha argued, "every house has had evil wizards in it, they just don't admit it, and what about Professor Snape? He was a Slytherin but he was braver than any Gryffindor, and Merlin? He was in Slytherin, and he was the most powerful sorcerer to walk the earth and he wasn't evil, Slytherin gets a lot of bad press but they aren't just cunning, they are also ambitious and being cunning isn't always a bad thing, it makes you better at strategizing and thinking things through, and Gryffindors and Slytherins are more similar than they like to think."

"Slytherin is still a completely blood status obsessed house, there has never been a muggle born Slytherin. Never."

"That's just because muggleborns don't learn about all the houses until they're on this train and then everyone spouts some rubbish about it being the most evil house ever and no one _wants_ to join it."

"That is completely crazy, the sorting hat doesn't just put you where you want." Al stopped, his fathers words coming back to him:

"_It takes your choice into account."_

"_Really?"_

"_It did for me."_

There was a knock on the door and a boy stuck his head in, he looked Spanish, with carefully styled hair and big, dark eyes.

"Hi, can I sit here."

"Sure." Viola said, nodding towards the two empty seats next to Stepha. The boy threw his case in and slammed the door shut, snapping the blind down and dumping his owl on Yuri. He peered around the blind as a group of shouting girls came running down the corridor. He sighed turned around and lent on the door.

"Well that was pretty close," he said, he readjusted his hot pink scarf, dusted down his skinny jeans and grinning flirtatiously at them, "I'm Ken Gonzales, and that angry mob was trying to kill me for flirting with their boyfriends. I'm a dreadful flirt." he winked at Yuri. "Darling, you seem to have stolen my owl."

"Oh, right, umm." he handed the cage back.

"Ok, Lady Zazzles you may have a treat." he pushed one through the bars of the cage.

"Now who are you lot?" he said flopping gracefully on to the seat next to Stepha's.

"Uh, I'm Stepha, these are Yuri and Viola Valverde, and this is Albus Potter."

"Oh, a celebrity," he laughed and pulled out an exploding snap deck, "who knows how to play?"

Viola raised a hand, "um, we're muggleborns, what are those?"

"Well then, this should be _fun._" Ken said grinning. They got away with minor burns, luckily.

_XXX_

There was a light drizzle, when they got outside and Ken sighed, mournful at the state of his hair.

"Firs' years this way, over here. Firs' years follow me." A huge man bellowed at the end of the platform.

"Hi, Hagrid." Albus called, waving.

"'Ello Albus." The man waved back. There was a tap on Viola and Yuri's shoulders and they turned to face two girls, one of them smiled at Yuri.

One of the girls said, "Hey, are you the person who set Amelia McLaggen's hair on fire," Yuri shuffled his feet, "I just wanted to say, well done mate. I mean, she wants to kill you now, but it's not like there was actually any damage done to her, just avoid her like the plague, but she's awful, so that probably helps you out. But, er, don't do that to me, or I'll break your arm." She grinned again and patted him on the back.

"I hear ya sister," Ken said, trying desperately to keep his own locks dry.

She turned to the rest of the group, she was pretty, a bit short and looked like she could be Chinese, with her dark hair pinned in a messy bun, "I'm Mizuki Chang, and this is Jasmine Etsuko." She gestured to the girl besides her, with frizzy blonde hair and a smattering of freckles, who waved.

"That all the Firs' years? Ok then, follow me," and they started walking.

They followed the man down a tiny path until they reached a small pebble beach.

"Wow," Stepha breathed, similar reactions could be heard about them. The castle was huge and Gothic, like something out of a book. It loomed over the lake from its perch on the top of the hill, a great forest of spires and turrets and shimmering windows that glittered above them.

"Before her hangs a mirror clear, reflecting tower'd Camelot," Stepha murmured. Albus looked at her, "Tennyson, the lady of Shallot."

"Jeez, you must read a lot," he said, surprised at her literary knowledge.

"My dad's an English professor, so it's kind of family law that we know lots of quotes," she smiled.

"Four to a boat, go on now," Hagrid called over the chattering children. Yuri and Viola went with Mizuki and Jasmine, and Stepha climbed into the boat next to theirs followed by Albus and Ken.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Came a soft voice behind them. A thin, pale boy with light hair and grey eyes stood next to their boat.

"Be our guest," Ken said, ignoring Albus's startled look and budging up to make room.

"Merci. I'm Scorpius, Scorpius Malfoy."

"Nice to meet you Scorpius, I'm Stepha Lucas and these two are Ken Gonzales and Albus Potter."

"Pleasure to meet you," he said.

Hagrid shouted from the front, "Everyone in? Right, FORWARD." The little fleet of boats surged forwards across the lake. Albus kept on fidgeting and half glancing behind him at the pale boy, who calmly stared ahead and ignored his agitated companion. They drifted towards a curtain of ivy, "Heads down." Hagrid called from the front and they passed through the ivy into a small underground harbour. They followed Hagrid up some stone stairs out onto the grass in front of the castle and right up to the main door.

"Everyone here?" He raised his huge hand and knocked on the door.

The door swung open to reveal a tall, rather handsome man in dark red robes who smiled down at them.

"The Firs' years, Professor Longbottom."

"Thank you Hagrid, you should get to the feast." he said and pulled the doors wide open.

The first years followed Professor Longbottom into the school. Stepha gazed about at the beautiful entrance hall and huddled together with her year mates as they shuffled into an antechamber.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor Longbottom started, "The start of year banquet will begin shortly, but before you can take your seats you must be sorted. Your Hogwarts house is like your family and you will spend almost all your time with them. Good deeds will earn you house points, while rule breaking will lose them. There are four houses, each named after a founder of the school these are: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The sorting ceremony will start now, please follow me." The Professor lead the way into the Great Hall, a trail of students following behind him.

At the front of the hall stood a three-legged stool and on it sat an old, battered hat. Everyone was staring at it and Stepha watched in confusion as it started to sing:

_If you end up in Gryffindor,_

_you're sure to fight your flaws, _

_you're brave and fierce and nothing's wrong,_

_with being so true and strong,_

_just try to find your way._

_Hufflepuffs are never rough,_

_they always care, but aren't so tough,_

_if you are of kindly heart,_

_this is where you'll find your part,_

_and you'll never be dull and grey._

_Ravenclaw will open doors,_

_and the knowledge will be yours,_

_you're witty and bright,_

_and are a light, _

_of knowledge on a dark day._

_With Slytherin you'll fit right in,_

_if you're cunning and play to win,_

_you're fast on your feet and full of ambition,_

_so let it be known you've one condition,_

_if others cross you they will pay. _

_so try me on,_

_I'll tell right from wrong,_

_just see what I've got to say. _

"When I read your names you will sit on the stool and be sorted." the Professor said, "Anders, Lauren."

"GRYFFINDOR."

"Boot, Sophia."

"GRYFFINDOR."

"Bourne, Amanda"

"RAVENCLAW."

"Chang, Mizuki." Stepha smiled at the nervous looking girl as she went up.

"HUFFLEPUFF."

"Etsuko, Jasmine."

"HUFFLEPUFF." She smiled slightly and ran to sit next to Mizuki. Jake Finnigan and May Finch-Fletchly went to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw respectively.

"Gonzales, Ken." Ken sauntered up the steps and winked at the audience before dropping the hat over his head.

"SLYTHERIN." He grinned and bowed before walking to the green and silver table.

Several more people where sorted and then, "Lucas, Stephanie." Stepha shuffled forwards and climbed up onto the stool and placed the hat on her head.

"Well aren't you _interesting_." came a voice in her ear, "I haven't seen someone like you for a long time, your powers don't scare you," an image of her in a room full of roaring flames flashed across her vision, "not yet, but you don't fully understand their strength. You have an important part to play in things to come, and for that you will need guidance, you had better go to SLYTHERIN." The last word was shouted out to the whole hall, which erupted into mutters

"WHAT!?" Someone shouted, "She's a muggleborn!"

"So?" Stepha said, glaring at the girl.

"That's never happened before,"

"Miss McLaggen please do not interrupt the sorting ceremony," the Headmaster snapped, "Miss. Lucas, please take your seat."

"Yes Professor," she said and ran off to join Ken.

Stepha sat in a daze not paying attention until, "Malfoy, Scorpius," was called, the blonde boy walked up to the hat like a prince.

"SLYTHERIN."

She smiled as he sat beside her and watched Albus being sorted into Gryffindor, closely followed by Samson Spinnet. Leslie Silvetti joined the Slytherin ranks, Viola was found to be a Ravenclaw and Yuri joined her, much to her horror and his joy, and after the last few Weasleys, the Headmistress stood to give her speech.

"Firstly, welcome, to our first years and welcome back, to all others. Before we start the feast I would like to remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest is _forbidden._" She turned her stern look towards two Gryffindor students, who waved back.

_'One looks like a Weasley and the other must be James Potter,'_ Stepha thought.

"Now, let us eat," Professor McGonagall said. And piles of mouthwatering food suddenly appeared in front of them. The hall burst into chatter as the students tucked in.

_XXX_

Mizuki was following the Hufflepuff prefect when she felt Jasmine stumble into her.

"Stupid Hufflepuff." the Ravenclaw that had pushed her muttered. Jasmine shrank back in fear.

"Hey!" Mizuki snapped, standing in their way. One of them tried to shove her out of his way. Before they could see what she was doing she had brought her arm up and twisted it around his, grabbed his shoulder and pushed him against the wall. She grabbed the hand still on her shoulder with her spare hand and pushed it back whilst applying pressure to his shoulder blade.

"Apologise or I break your arm," she growled.

"Let go of me." he struggled against her but she pressed down on his shoulder more.

"I'm sorry!" he said.

"Good," she let him go, "Don't bother us again, got it?" They nodded and scampered off. Mizuki looked at the ring of gawking Hufflepuffs, shrugged and started following the oblivious prefect again, Jasmine trialling after her.

"That was so brave, thank you," Jasmine said softly, "you should have been a Gryffindor."

"Nah, you wouldn't like it." She linked their arms together.

"Wait, you chose Hufflepuff for me?" Jasmine asked, confused.

"I thought it would be the best place for you, and I don't think it's that bad."

"Thank you," Jasmine mumbled.

"No problem, sisters, remember?"

"Sisters," she agreed.

_XXX_

James tackled Albus when they left the Great Hall.

"Knew you would be in Gryffindor Al." He ruffled his brother's hair. "Shame Rose and Louis went to Ravenclaw, but I don't think Uncle Neville could cope with all of us in one house."

"Yeah, not after you blew up the common room, last year," Albus laughed.

"Hey! That was Fred's fault,"

"Mate, don't sell me out to your little bro, that's unfair," the redhead said, appearing beside his best friend.

"Seriously you think _Al_ is gunna tell someone?" He elbowed his brother gently, "anyway you should go and meet your year mates." He ran off to go and pester some people ahead of them.

"Um, bye," he said to the space were his brother had been.

"Hey, you're Albus, right?" A sandy haired boy came up next to him.

"Yeah."

"I'm Samson, Sam for short. I don't really know many people here, and we're in the same dorm so I thought I should say hi."

"Hi. I don't know a lot of people in our year, but pretty much the whole of Gryffindor is related to me so I can introduce you if you like."

"Wow, thanks. It must be cool having such a huge family."

"It can get a bit annoying at times tell you the truth."

Samson grinned and he and Albus talked all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

_XXX_

"You can count on me like one, two, three," Yuri sang absent mindedly.

"Yuri, stop, please." Viola begged.

"Aww, but Viola, we will make a great team in Ravenclaw," he pulled his sad puppy face at her and she sighed.

"Fine, I just want to not have to stop you from blowing stuff up."

"I promise I will try not to." He said grinning.

"Ok," they walked a little bit further.

"Viola," she looked back up at him, "You're not ashamed of me are you?"

Viola stopped her expression was pained, but it quickly turned angry.

"Yuri Anthony Valverde, don't you ever,_ ever_ so much as think that again! You are my twin brother and my best friend. I never have been, nor will I _ever_ be, ashamed of you. You may make my life a whole lot crazier and you may be the clumsiest person I know, but I love you, no matter what. I just sometimes feel like I have to look after you, but if that means that I get you and all your..._you-ness_, then so be it. I would pick you over every cool or popular person in this school and I don't care how annoying you are," she was suddenly crushed in a hug.

"Love you too sis," Yuri's voice said, somewhere above her head, she patted his back.

"Yuri, can't breath," she said through a mouth full of t-shirt, he let her go but kept an arm around her shoulders, "now let's catch up with the rest of our house," said Viola and they broke into a jog.

_XXX_

Stepha sat in the Slytherin common room reading her book, it was one of her favourites and she had read it several times before, the spine was bent and several of the pages had stains from different types of foods, one double page spread even had muddy paw prints from where Artemis had wandered across it whilst it was left on the window seat in her room.

She barely noticed when someone sat down in front of her, in fact it took them several polite coughs for her to even glance up. Across the little table sat Scorpius, who smiled politely.

"Hello, we met before in the boats, I'm Scorpius and you are, Stephanie, correct?"

"Yes, but I prefer Stepha."

"Well, Stepha, you're a muggleborn, so I expect you don't really understand the way things work, so if you need any advice on anything, you are fully allowed to talk to me, and there is no need to be embarrassed if you do." He looked at her, obviously expecting some kind of fawning thank you.

"I'm sorry, but, _what_? Are you all ways this stuck up or am I getting special treatment?"

"I was only being polite."

"THAT is your version of polite? Because it seemed to me like you were being a stuck up little child, 'let's all go and laugh at the muggleborn because they're so stupid and don't understand anything'. Being polite does not involve talking down to someone and treating them like they are below you. 'You don't have to be embarrassed'? What am I, a naughty child? If I don't understand anything I'll ask, is that ok with you, Mr. Malfoy, or do I need a jury of almighty purebloods to give me permission?"

Scorpius had gone red in the face and looked slightly flustered and confused, as if Stepha was meant to bow and scrape and thank him. He opened his mouth to retort but Stepha cut him off,

"I didn't say you could talk. So what, you just expect me to treat you like my saviour and pledge my allegiance, because that is not going to happen, so get your head out of your backside and shut up." She turned back to her book. Scorpius stared at her for a moment and then walked away to his dorm.

"You go girl," Ken said sitting down next to her, "that was amazing,hon, I have seen some sass in my time but that was a whole new level. I can't believe you just told _Scorpius Malfoy_ to clean up his act."

"What's so amazing about him?"

"Let's just say that the Malfoy company owns about two thirds of the wizarding world, and he is the soul heir. He's probably never had a bad word said to him, most people wouldn't dare, his father could probably take everything they owned and bankrupt them in half an hour, and you just told him to get his head out of his arse, I'm pretty sure no one is going to mess with you," he laughed, "with hair like _that _you wouldn't expect him to be rich, I may have to work on him. Well, I'm going to bed." he said standing up and stretching.

"Same here." Stepha said following him to the split in the passageway.

"Hey Stepha," Ken said, she turned, "mind if I _Slytherin_?" he waggled his eyebrows.

"Oh my God, no, just no, Ken." She shook her head and tried to look disgusted, but just ended up grinning at his ridiculous expression.

"Good night Ken."

"Good night Stepha."

_Authors note: So, first chapter, what do you think? Constructive criticism only please or Mizuki will break your arm, and please review 'cause you love me._


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: I am so sorry I am late but I was really ill, so please don't be too angry. I forgot to say on my last chapter, but the song Yuri sings is_ count on me _by Bruno Mars. I also looked at the fic its self and realised that it had gotten read of all my time spacing and the sorting hat song so it didn't look so good, but I went back and changed it so hopefully it is less confusing._

Chapter 2

The Slytherin common room was blissfully quiet, only the muffled noises of gently sleeping students and the soothing slosh of the lake water against the windows disturbed the sacred silence. Stepha sat, cat like, in an armchair, her book balanced on her knee and her hair in a messy ponytail.

The Slytherin common room was beautiful and vast. There were two main parts, one sunk into the ground and the other on the same level as the entrance. The floors were made of dark wood that had been smoothed by generations of students, and the dark green sofas and wooden desks that were scattered around the room, had a comfortable, elegantly worn feel. Dark wooden beams criss-crossed the ceiling in high arches and separated the two areas, the walls were hung with green and silver hangings covering the dark stone. Stepha's favourite place was by the wall farthest from the entrance, the whole wall was a window into the lake, broken only by more beams and a large fire place.

"Well, you're up early," said a voice, disturbing Stepha's meditation like reading.

"Hey, Ken." Stepha closed her book and placed it into her already packed bag.

"I thought the prefect said to be down by quarter to eight not six-thirty."

"Didn't want to be late, anyway you're up."

"Well, I'm an early riser and I had to fix this simply _awful_ uniform," he gestured to his clothes, which, Stepha noted, were not the set uniform. Instead he wore black skinny jeans, a dark silver waistcoat and-

"Is that a _cravat_?!"

"Yes, much better don't you think?"

Stepha snorted, "only you Ken, only you could wear a cravat to school, and get away with it."

"At least I've got it tied properly, all those people wearing it loose to look posh," he trailed off as if imagining the fashion disaster. "Anyway you can't possibly like this uniform."

"No, I don't, it's weird and uncomfortable. I just thought that I didn't like it because I used to be able to do my work in my pyjamas," Ken stared at her in confusion, "I was home schooled."

"Not all uniforms are this awful, oh for the joys of blazers," he sighed.

"Now," he clapped his hands, "let's sort you out."

"What!? No, no, no, no. I don't want fashion advice."

"Only a little bit, if you don't like it I can take it back off," he pouted at her.

"Fine! But nothing too dramatic."

"Me? Dramatic? Never!" he grinned and set to work, Stepha groaned internally.

_XXX_

The common room had slowly filled with sleepy teens by the time Ken had deemed her acceptable and most of the other first years were milling around waiting for the prefect to show them back to the Great Hall. Stepha watched her reflection in the mirror. The grey, sleeveless pullover had been instantly discarded, the skirt had been changed from grey to black and given a line of dark green at the hem, and then there was the hair, the elaborate braid fell across her left shoulder, it was beautiful, with tiny braids and a thin, dark green ribbon running through the dark red strands.

"Wow," Stepha whispered, "how do you know how to do all of that?"

"Just a knack, I'm good at Transfiguration and well I did a bit of practice over the holidays," he rubbed his neck and gave her another smile.

The prefect from last night came in with her friends and stopped short when she saw the younger pupils.

"What are you two wearing!?" the prefect almost shouted at them.

"Clothes?" Ken drawled.

"McGonagall is going to have a seizure." She looked about to protest but someone cut her off.

"I think they look fine and they aren't breaking any rules, are they Miss Marks?" Scorpius' voice was calm and quite but managed to silence the whole room in seconds.

" No, not any written ones but you can't just..." she trailed off under Scorpius' cool look.

"And where exactly does it state that students must wear all of the uniform and the exact uniform that Madam Malkins provides, I am sure that Professor McGonagall will only see the excellent Transfiguration that has been demonstrated by Ken. Now I believe that you were showing us the way to the Great Hall," he gave her a expectant look and she spluttered, confused about who was in charge her or the young man standing in front of her.

"Yes, this way, follow me."

_XXX_

As they walked Scorpius dropped back towards Stepha and Ken.

"Hey, I think Malfoy wants to speak to you," Ken said, nudging her and nodding towards the boy.

"Stepha. I wanted to apologise. I should not have spoken to you like that, as you can tell I don't know much about muggleborns. My father was not brought up with very good ideas, and although he does not mean to he has hindered my understanding of the world that I am part of. I have always been told muggleborns to be slightly below purebloods in understanding and culture. My father isn't very logical on this subject and I am sorry to say that I have judged you all on his words. Growing up I have had to face much prejudice because of the mistakes of my father and grandfather, and I have grown to hate people who judge others before they have met them. But it seems that I have become one of them. So please accept my apologies and my thanks for waking me up. Also for just talking to me like you would any other, most people would bow down to me because of my father's influence, you didn't, thank you," he smiled and went to sit away from them when they reached the Great Hall.

"Scorpius?" he turned, "there is plenty of room here, if you would like to, um..." for a moment he looked surprised and then a real grin broke out across his face and he sat across from them.

_XXX_

"What do we have first Al?" Sam said through his toast. Albus looked at the time table that Professor Longbottom had given him.

"Umm, Charms with the... urgg the Slytherins." He looked over to their table, instantly spotting Stepha's dark red hair. She was talking to that weird kid from the train and...

"Is that _Scorpius Malfoy_?"

Sam glanced up, "yeah, 'course he went to Slytherin."

"Yeah." He glared at the blonde boy, why was Stepha talking to him? He was a monster, he hated muggleborns, all Slytherins did. But Stepha was a Slytherin, surely she wasn't like that, she was nice and sweet and a muggleborn, she couldn't be like that.

"Hey bro," James said, appearing besides him, Fred in tow. "Why are you staring at the Slytherins, you look like you're going to have a seizure." He laughed and ruffled Albus' hair.

"Gerrof, James." He tried to bat his brothers hand away but failed and almost fell off the bench.

"Hey, James, they're moving," Alex Jordan, James and Fred's other best friend, called down the table. The dark haired girl nodded towards the huddle of silver and green across the hall.

James' head shot up and he leapt to his feet, grinning.

"What are you going to do James, I know that look, you're going to pull some type of awful prank and mum is going to kill you. James, what are you going to do?"

"Aww, com'on Al, it's just a bit of fun with the Slytherins."

Albus glanced at their table, trying to spot the red hair again, but she was gone and he realised just who they were about to prank.

"No."

"What?"

"You heard me James, no."

"Albus, you're not mum. If you want to come fine, but you're not going to boss me around." He turned to go, Albus felt like he had betrayed him, she was only a Slytherin, what was wrong with pranking her?

"Wait, we'll come," Albus said and Sam jumped up after him.

"That's my little bro," James said and they ran after the three Slytherins.

_XXX_

The trio walked down the corridor, Stepha laughing at Ken trying to persuade Scorpius to let him do his hair. James held up three fingers and Alex and Fred nodded. Three. Albus wasn't so sure this was a good idea. Two. Stepha's delighted laughter made Albus feel guilty already. One. Maybe he should stop James. Zero.

"Coloratum bitumen."

There was a shriek and several angry shouts. James, Fred and Alex all grinned and went to view the damage they had made.

The three people stood, drenched in red and gold slime, strands of hair sticking to their faces.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Ken shouted, his gaze wild.

"Urggh, that's disgusting," Stepha said flicking a gloop of gunk form her hair. They turned when they heard laughter and James, Fred and Alex stepped out from the secret passage followed by Albus and Sam.

"You've been pranked by The Musketeers. It's a literary reference, I don't expect you to get it." James chortled.

"Don't worry Ken, I know how to fix it," Scorpius said pulling out his wand, "scourgify," he turned to Stepha, "scourgify."

"Thanks Scorpius," she turned and glared at the group.

"Hey, don't get all uppity at us snakie, at least we're not known for being back stabbers." James snapped.

"Ah, yes, because we are the ones who cast spells on people on their first day."

"Like you wouldn't do it, all you snakes are the same."

"At least we don't publicly laugh at other peoples pain."

"No, instead you push them away and isolate them and get others to believe that they deserve to die, you're all prejudiced. You would do it to any Gryffindor."

"That isn't hypocritical _at all_," her voice dripped with sarcasm, "_you _know nothing about us, _you_ cut _us_ off, _you_ segregate _us_, we look out for our own and protect each other, because no one else will. You say that we are blood supremacists yet I am a muggleborn and people have accepted me, because I wont fight them, I am one of them, and they will protect me. I am not against all Gryffindors, I am against you, James Potter, and anyone who labels me as a monster because of what house I am in. So, how do you see us now?"

The group of students that had crowded around them stared at Stepha like she was threatening there way of life, all except for the few Slytherins in the crowd, who looked at her with respect and made a tight huddle around her and glared at the Gryffindors. Stepha turned on her heel, gave one last disappointed look at Albus and left, the crowd parting like the Red Sea before her.

"Well, that's just, beside the point," James spluttered, searching for a lifeline but she was already gone.

"Shut up James," Albus said, brushing past his brother, the guilt and disappointment in him self churning in his stomach.

"Al! What's wrong with you? Al!"

XXX

"Stepha?"

She stood outside the classroom waiting for the other students to join them, and when she turned to look at Albus her look was full of cold anger, Albus could have sworn that the candle flames leaned towards her as she glared, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm sorry, I tried to stop James."

"Oh, yes, you screamed your self hoarse trying to stop him." Her voice was cold and unforgiving.

"Please, Stepha, I really am sorry, that was an awful thing to do." He grabbed her arm and tried to make her understand how guilty he felt.

"You don't think that, it's just because it's me, you feel guilty for pranking me. If it was any other Slytherin you would have laughed along with your brother, so leave..." she pulled her arm out of his grasp, "...me alone."

A group of Gryffindors came up to the room and Albus was dragged away by Sam.

"Wow, that Slytherin was so out of order, they think they can do what ever they want just because their parents are rich."

"Sam, stop it."

"What?"

"Stop talking about them like that."

The door opened and Professor Lane motioned them all in. The students shuffled about selecting seats and pulling out books and chattering. Albus and Sam took seats at the front of the room and pulled out their books.

"Al, why are you so upset about it?"

"We don't exactly treat them equally do we? They don't exactly fight back but we still keep on hitting."

"So? They're the bad guys Al, why should we treat them equally? They are the reason so many people died in the war, they started it, they don't deserve to be treated the same."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Of course, everyone knows that that's true," Sam looked confused.

"No, everyone _says_ that's true, but we needed a scapegoat after the war, the Slytherins haven't done anything, they weren't even alive during the war. Come on Sam, think about it. This is unfair."

"I suppose, but they still think like that don't they, even with_ him _gone."

"Stepha's a muggleborn, she obviously can't think that," Albus pointed out.

"Well, it can't just be _ wrong_, your dad is the one that..."

"No, my dad doesn't think that, he said that he would be proud if I got into Slytherin, I'm named after a Slytherin headmaster, you can't say that Severus Snape was an anomaly and then just accept that all the other houses are all good on blind faith. There are good and bad people in every house."

"Look, Al, even if I accept that, it's not like it'll make any difference, the whole school isn't going to just cosy up with the Slytherins over night."

"I know, I just think that we should be a little bit more open minded."

"Fine, but if they really are all how the stories say then I'll hex them."

"I wouldn't expect any thing else," Albus smiled at his friend, maybe it would work, maybe the Slytherins wouldn't be so hated.

XXX

The first week of term passed quickly and with little event. Albus sat in the Great hall on Sunday evening eating dinner.

"I have an announcement to make," Professor McGonagall said, standing. "This will be my last term as headmistress, I will be leaving before half-term and Professor Longbottom will be the new head master, Herbology will be taken by Professor Janes who will be shadowing Professor Longbottom until that time, Professor Mandel will also be leaving and Defence Against the Dark Arts will be taken over by Professor Potter, who you have no doubt heard of, and who will also be sitting in on some of your lessons."

The crowd of students all started muttering and whispering.

"Hey, Al I didn't know that your dad would be teaching us."

"Neither did I," he said, confused at why his father hadn't said anything.

"Well, he might let you off a detention or something," Sam said hopefully.

"Yeah right, my dad wouldn't do that, he hates favouritism."

"Ah, well. You can always hope."

Albus grinned at his friend and ate a mouthful of chicken pie.

"Com'on we have a load of homework, already, which is just unfair."

"You are so lazy, come on then," Albus said, laughing and shaking his head. They left the Great Hall and headed towards the marble staircase. As they reached the third floor they were interrupted by shouts.

"What's going on?" Sam looked at Albus, worried.

"Isn't that Frank?"

"Professor Longbottom's kid?"

"Come on," Albus said, and jogging over to the scene, which was slowly gathering a crowd.

"... you filthy little creep," one of the voices growled, Albus thought it sounded like Frank. He elbowed his way through the spectators, almost crushed by the shuffling students, until the crowd broke apart and he entered the empty circle around the fighting pair. Frank was glaring at the other boy, who was cradling his left arm close to his chest, Albus recognised him as Ken, Frank pulled his arm back and smashed it into Ken's jaw, "did your parents cry when they found out they had a disgusting monster for a son?"

"Frank! What are you doing? Stop!" Albus said, rushing forwards, and placing himself in front of the bruised boy.

"He's just a god damn snake Albus, get out of my way."

"No."

"What?" People in the crowd gasped and Frank's face turned dark red, he snarled at Albus, "if you're going to defend _them _over your own then you will be treated the same, now _get out of my way._"

"No," Albus raised his chin, knowing that it was going to hurt, Frank pulled back his arm, hatred evident in his expression.

"If you touch my brother, I will make you vomit slugs for a year," the voice was low and angry.

"James." Albus almost smiled in relief, standing inches behind Frank with his wand pointed at the back of his neck was James, flanked by Fred and Alex, Sam shuffled out from behind them and went to stand by his best friend.

"James, don't be stupid, he's just another snake."

"Frank, I don't give a Merlin, if you touch my brother I will curse your head off," he glanced at his brother and then at the kneeling person behind him, "Holy... what have you done to his _arm._"

"Like you wouldn't have done the same, why do you care James, just take your traitor of a brother and get out of my way."

"What the hell is wrong with you!? What could he have done to make you hurt him so much?"

"He insulted Amelia," Frank nodded towards his third year girlfriend, who tossed her hair and nodded, pouting.

"So you beat up a first year because your girlfriend told you to? What the hell Frank, he's a first year. I don't care that he's a Slytherin, you can't do that."

"KEN!" There was a scream and Stepha appeared, eyes blazing, and ran at Frank. Scorpius grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Oh my God, what have you done? I'll kill you!," her voice became low and she snarled at Frank like a wild animal, "you heartless monster." the torches in their brackets seemed to glow brighter.

"If it was anyone else, would you still have done it?" Albus said quietly, "A Ravenclaw, a Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, would you still do what you just did to him?"

"Of course not," Frank spoke as if Albus was a child who kept on asking if he could fly.

"How is that fair? How is that right? This is all so twisted and wrong, why can't you see that?"Albus felt very tired.

"What, in the name of Merlin are you doing Potter? They're snakes, they don't deserve to be treated equally."

"They do, they are humans, this is crazy and messed up and _wrong_, just wrong." Albus spotted Professor Lane coming around the corner, obviously trying to find out what the disturbance was about, he turned to Ken, "Get to the hospital wing and Frank if you don't want to get suspended go, go and if you do this again I will tell your father."

Frank sneered and turned, his crowd of supporters following him. Ken stood and started to walk away, shaking his head at Stepha and Scorpius and waving them away with his uninjured hand.

"I'll go after him," James said, nodding awkwardly at the two Slytherins as he passed and hurrying after the injured boy. Albus looked at Stepha and nodded before turning away and walking away to the Gryffindor Tower, Sam following behind him.

XXX

James jogged down the corridor, wondering exactly why he was trying to help a Slytherin he barely knew. Ken turned in to one of the empty class rooms, James hesitated, confused at why he had gone in there and then followed, gently closing the door behind him. Ken leaned against a desk, his back facing the door, his slim, light coloured wand moving backwards and forwards over his arm. James sat on the desk next to his, watching him move the wand and heal the wounds.

"You can do healing spells? That's pretty impressive."

James saw a tiny smile form on Ken's face.

"I have a knack, I could do it before I got my wand, now it is more controlled but just as affective."

"That is pretty awesome." He paused, watching Ken slowly healing his arm.

"Why didn't you go to the hospital wing, Ken?"

"I suppose it's because I'm a good little Slytherin, if I went, the teachers would ask me questions, I think it's better for all of us if I go in with a bruised jaw and say I walked into a door, rather then with a twisted arm and tell them a third year Gryffindor beat me up," he let out a cold laugh, "I doubt they would even believe me."

James winced at the way he spoke, he had been a Slytherin for a week and he already was part of the machine, covering up the scars and huddling closer, because no one would help them. James wished he had seen it before, the hatred just seemed normal, something that you did by default. It had been going on for nineteen years, if you didn't do it you were an outcast. James looked at his hands feeling like he was just as bad as Frank.

"Don't think that," Ken said.

"What?"

"Don't think you're like Frank, you're not."

"How can you tell I was thinking about that?"

"You are a very easy person to read. Frank was wrong about you doing the same, you might not care for us, but pranking people is not the same as deliberately singling them out and injuring them, at least you don't only prank Slytherins and you don't hurt them. Frank is a pretty extreme case from what I've seen."

"Thank you," James said softly. There was a pause, the only noise was Ken mumbling softly under his breath as he fixed the marks on his arm.

"My parents never found out I was gay," Ken stopped as if unsure why he was talking about this to James, who himself felt startled, "my uncle was the first person I ever admitted it to." He faltered and took a deep breath before continuing. He kept on repeating his action, his wand slowly healing his arm, and his words low "my parents were very religious, well my mother was, my father was a wizard, but he never told her that," James remembered what Frank had said about Ken's parents, and felt sick.

"When I was ten my house was burnt to the ground, both of my parents died," his voice cracked but he continued, back and forth, healing and mending. "Imagine coming home and finding that it doesn't exist anymore, that the only family you ever knew was dead, that there was no one anymore. I never told them who I was, I never got to explain, they never truly knew me. The reason I act the way I do is because I never want that to happen again, I never want anyone to not know who I am, even if they hate me."

He stopped healing his arm and flexed his fingers, nodding at the work and rolling his shoulder. He stood and headed for the door.

"Ken?"

The boy turned, his hand above the door handle.

"Yes?"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Maybe because, to you, I'm just another Slytherin."

James watched him leave, and he sat on the desk staring at the door for hours.

Or at least until Professor Lane came in and almost cursed him before realising he was a student.

XXX

Author's note: Sorry it is so short, this chapter had a lot of plot and stuff, but life kept on being in-between all the important bits, and it turns out I am not very good at writing normal life, also it doesn't have as much editing as last chapter, so there are probably a few mistakes. But I hoped you enjoyed it and please review.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: I am so so so so sorry, I have been a horrible writer and this is a really short chapter but I will update super soon._

_**Chapter 3**_

"There!"

"Where?"

"There, next to that statue."

"Wait, who are we looking for again?"

"Oh for God's..."

A slim, dark haired girl slipped out of an alcove in to the crowd and a taller, ganglier boy followed her.

"Stepha!" The red headed girl turned, searching for the person who had said her name.

"Hey Viola, hey Yuri." She smiled at the twins.

"Stepha, we wanted to talk to you," Viola started.

"About the whole Slytherins verses everyone else thing," Yuri continued.

"We just wanted you to know."

"We're on your side."

Stepha was filled with gratitude, "thank you."

"No problem."

"Hey, if you ever want some study partners."

"People say Ravenclaws are the best."

"Or you could let me copy your homework." Yuri finished with a grin.

"Don't listen to him, he's a genius, just a very lazy genius."

Stepha grinned as her two friends hurried off to the Ravenclaw table. She was half way to her own table when she was stopped by another duo. Mizuki greeted Stepha and Jasmine waved shyly from behind her curly blonde hair.

"Stepha, we just wanted to say that we fully support you and the rest of your house, and we think that this feud is stupid and useless," Mizuki siad. Jasmine nodded and said quietly, "Stepha, I think your really brave, and people should understand what they're doing is wrong." She smiled and blushed, ducking behind her curtain of hair again.

"Thank you." Her grin threatened to dislocate her jaw but she couldn't stop, she sat down at the Slytherin table still glowing with joy and grinning like a maniac. That was until a group of Gryffindors walked past and she heard one of them mutter, "Deatheaters."

Stepha glared at them and recognised one of them as Frank's girlfriend.

"That evil bitch." She growled.

"I feel we should do something about Miss Amelia McLaggen." Ken swirled his soup thoughtfully.

"I vote we lock her and her..." her words became incoherent as she muttered various obstinacies under her breath, "of a boyfriend in a room with an acromantula"

"Oh they aren't dating any more Stepha, don't you keep up with gossip?"

"Um no." Ken shook his head at his friend. Stepha and Scorpius shared a concerned look, wondering how their friend was. After he had returned from the hospital wing Ken had asked them not to talk about Frank, they had grudgingly complied.

"Stop looking at each other like that." Ken's two best friends squirmed under his gaze. " Look, it was my decision about what happened after the thing with Frank and this was my choice."

Stepha looked at her food, "sorry Ken, we're just worried."

"I know, but I'm fine," unconsciously he glanced at James and then back towards his friends. "We have a free period next, we should start our potions homework for Professor Samman."

_XXX_

Stepha hoisted her back up onto her shoulder, struggling under the weight of all of her books and silently cursing Ken and Scorpius who had left her earlier to get dinner. As she left the library two students came up to her, a Slytherin and a Gryffindor, both in sixth year.

"Hello Stepha. Can we talk to you?" The Slytherin boy smiled down at her.

"Hi. Sure, what about?"

"Not in front of everyone, how about in here?" he gestured to am empty classroom. Stepha shrugged and walked in to the room.

"What did you want to-aargh," she shrieked and fell, her whole body rigid as a board, the Gryffindor lowered their wand.

"Hello, mudblood," the Slytherin snarled, advancing on her with a sneer, "how does it feel, hmm, being a Slytherin? How did a _filthy_," he kicked her, "little mudblood like you infiltrate the house of the pure?"

"Andrew, I don't think we should do this." The Gryffindor looked uneasy.

"Shut up Clarence and watch the door."

The Slytherin, Stepha recognised him as Andrew Flint, turned back to his prey. Stepha felt her magic fighting to help her, to burn her threat and cocoon her in flames until she was safe. She tried to talk but her mouth was frozen shut.

"No point in trying to scream, Clarence put up silencing charms around this room." Flint slowly smiled and Stepha would have flinched if she wasn't frozen. Flint flicked his wand lazily at her and said, "Crucio," almost tenderly.

Stepha was being ripped apart. Her veins were full of acid. She tried to scream but her lips were locked together. It stopped suddenly and Stepha tried to breathe for the few seconds of calm she had before her body was seized by pain. After a while Flint seemed to get bored of this and instead used his wand to cut into her skin, leaving behind trails of blood. Clear tears slid down her face and mingled with the scarlet marks. Flint alternated between angry bursts of the cruciatus curse and moments of complete calm and slicing into her skin, the time they spent in the room lasted only a few minuets but Stepha could feel unconsciousness and with it the explosion of flames that she was trying to control. As her brain finally shut down from pain and her vision went cloudy she could see the feather like flares flooding the room.

_XXX_

The clouds were warm and soft, surrounding her in the smell of clean linen.

"...accidental magic... lucky to be alive... don't know how far they would have gone."

Stepha stirred, vague, fuzzy images tumbled through her head. Helpless, fear, pain, crystal tears and ruby drops. She suddenly jerked up, expecting to see Andrew sneering down at her. Her eyes were wild and frightened and she whimpered and tried to scrabble away from the people at the side of her bed.

"Stepha. Stepha, calm down." Scorpius held his hands up in a placating gesture and Ken copied him, someone she didn't recognise left the room to find Madam Longbottom.

"Scorpius? Ken?" Stepha's voice was croaky and it trembled as she stared at the tiny, private room she had been given in the hospital wing.

"Yes Stepha, it's ok, you're safe."

"Flint?"

"Gone." Scorpius' eyes sparked with anger and his jaw tensed and Ken glared out of the window. The person, Stepha guessed he was an Auror, came back in followed by madam Longbottom.

"Stepha dear, how do you feel?" The matron bustled up to her and then turned to her friends, "out boys, she needs rest and an examination, you can visit her after dinner." Scorpius and Ken instantly started protesting.

"But she just woke up!"

"Why can't we stay?"

"Just ten minuets, please."

"No, you can go now and see her after dinner or you can keep on complaining and wait until tomorrow, now go, out." She ushered them out the door.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Ken called over madam Longbottom's shoulder.

"You too Harry," the matron said, "you can talk to her later, she needs rest now." Stepha started at the man's name. She recognised him now, the dark hair, the green eyes behind circular lenses, and the scar.

"You look like Albus," she suddenly blurted, and then blushed at the stupidity of that statement.

Harry smiled at her and then turned to the nurse, " I'll be back in a while to ask her some questions, bye Hannah, good bye Stephanie."

"Stepha, please call me Stepha." Harry Potter nodded and left the room.

_XXX_

"I can't believe that you want all the homework you've missed," Ken looked outraged at the idea.

"There can't be that much, even if I was out for two and a half weeks."

"Still. Are you sure you aren't a Ravenclaw?"

"Shut up Ken." She shoved him but didn't smile, she felt too empty to do anything now: eat, sleep, talk. She felt sick, broken, something that should be left on it's own to waste away.

"So, what happened after I passed out?"

"Um, well Flint and McNair got arrested and are awaiting trial, but we probably shouldn't talk about it, I mean it isn't a great subject and err yeah," Scorpius awkwardly mumbled him self to the end of his sentence, ending inarticulately.

"Wow, you said yeah," Ken grinned at Scorpius from the end of Stepha's bed, "Yuri and Al have been trying to make you do that all week."

"Al, as in Albus Potter?"

"Yeah, him and Scorpius are in a star crossed love affair," Ken said, settling in to dramatic story mode, " two boys from households with a great history that spans many generations, the son of The Boy-Who-Lived and the son of a man who was forced in to a life of Dark Magic fall hopelessly in love at the bedside of a brave comrade."

Scorpius looked at Ken, raised an eyebrow and said with the utmost dignity, "you are the most annoying friend I have ever had."

"Yeah, but at least I have fashion sense."

Stepha felt the corner of her mouth turn up at her two friends goading each other and felt a spark of something, not happiness exactly, but something good, something she could work with. It was more than she had felt in the few days since she woke up.

_XXX_

After Ken and Scorpius had gone Stepha lay in her bed and tried to keep her self awake, she hated the dreams which accompanied her unconscious hours. The hospital wing was silent. Cool beams of crystal coloured moon light slivered through the window. There was a knock on her door and Stepha jumped, scrabbling for her wand.

"Stepha?"

"A-Albus?" He slid in to the room, a silvery cloak draped over his arm.

"Hey, I just wanted to see if you were ok."

"In the middle of the night?" He shrugged and sat down in the visitors chair next to her bed.

"I wanted to talk to you alone. I'm sorry, I was childish and spiteful, I didn't understand what was going on at this school and I did what was expected of me without thinking about the consequences, James agrees with me and we're both going to help you make other people see what's going on too."

"Thank you Albus." Stepha felt A warmth spreading in side her and she smiled and reached for his hand, "thank you." He shrugged and returned the smile.

They sat in companionable silence before Stepha spoke again.

"So what really happened afterwards, the others won't tell me, they're treating me like a child."

"They just don't want to upset you."

"Albus, I am far past the point that they could upset me."

He sighed,"when you passed out you kind of exploded with accidental magic, Flint and McNair were both pretty badly burnt. They ran into professor Janes trying to escape, she thought they were just pulling some type of prank and took them to professor McGonagall they said they had just found you but they looked at your memories and-"

"Wait, they what?"

"Err, they examined your memories, only the ones to do with the case, your parents gave them permission." Albus shuffled in his seat but Stepha just nodded slowly.

"Then what?"

"Well, after they looked at your memories they arrested Flint and McNair. They needed a team of Aurors just to keep the crowds back. Your whole house showed up, I thought they were going to lynch them. Everyone looked pretty annoyed. You've made one hell of an impression on everyone. Anyway," he said, glancing at the clock, "I should go, we have lessons tomorrow." He stood and picked up his silvery cloak.

"Good bye Stepha."

"Bye."

His hand was on the door when Stepha spoke again, "Albus." He turned, "thank you."

_XXX_

Harry Potter stared at her. "Stepha, I can't do that."

"Why not, you looked at my memories and you only had my parent's permission, not mine."

"We looked at your memories, we didn't delete them."

"Please!"

"No."

"This is my head, we're talking about, my memories, I DON'T WANT THEM ANY MORE." She felt the tears welling up and tried to blink them away. "Please, I don't want to remember." The first cracked sob pushed it's way out, and before she could stop she was weeping into her knees. Harry reached forward to comfort her but she jerked away, she was so afraid of the world, so damaged.

"Stepha, I have seen things that no one should see, the monsters that people can become, the horrors people will do, and the lengths people will go to to help themselves, and there is _so much _I wish I could forget, but I can't, the things that damage you, the things that hurt the worst, they are the things that make you the strongest,the bravest, the wisest, the most loyal and the most cunning. Stepha, there is so much bad in the world, and we can't just delete it all, but going through it and learning from it is the only way we can save others from having to see it. Going through something terrible doesn't make you broken and damaged, it makes you strong."

Stepha raised her head, "did you get that from a chick-flick?" She said in mock suspicion. Harry laughed and Stepha felt a slight tug at the corner of her mouth.

"Damn, my secret has been discovered," he laughed and Stepha felt a smile stretch across her face, small but true.

_XXX_

Two weeks later and Stepha was walking down to the Great Hall, she was not yet fully discharged from the hospital wing, but Madam Longbottom, or Hannah, as she insisted on being called, had allowed her to join the rest of the school for meals, and she would be re-starting her classes in a few days.

Stepha was halfway down the wing when she felt some thing wash over her, like a tingle of electricity, but instead of making her skin tingle it affected her magic, tugging at the dormant flames in the pit of her stomach. She turned, her senses pulling her towards a bed surrounded by curtains. She slipped inside the canvas walls looked down at the patient. It was a young man, in his fifth or sixth year, his skin was ashen and his light hair fell in lank strands over his forehead, the robes draped across the visitor's chair told her he was a Ravenclaw. Stepha moved forward, she could feel the magic pulsing from his skin. She lent over him, her hair tumbling from around her face and on to his pillow, feeling something like a hunger.

Her fingers reached out and their tips fluttered against his cheekbones... and she lurched back as two words slashed through her brain. She span, arms flailing and stumbled out of the room, not stopping her crazed flight until she reached the Entrance Hall. But the words were there, like bloody marks on a white wall.

"Hello, Sister."

_Author's Note: Muhahaha! I have left you with a cliffy, which you won't get any answers for for a long time, but my next chapter should be up soon, and it is a bit different from the rest of my chapters, it is going to be over a long time and be focused on Yuri rather than Stepha. So be warned that it will be different. _

_TheSlytherinBadger. _


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